Citation and License

Nanoscale Research Letters 2011, 6:136
doi:10.1186/1556-276X-6-136

Published: 11 February 2011

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) constitute a novel class of nanomaterials with remarkable
applications in diverse domains. However, the main intrincsic problem of CNTs is their
insolubility or very poor solubility in most of the common solvents. The basic key
question here is: are carbon nanotubes dissolved or dispersed in liquids, specifically
in water? When analyzing the scientific research articles published in various leading
journals, we found that many researchers confused between "dispersion" and "solubilization"
and use the terms interchangeably, particularly when stating the interaction of CNTs
with liquids. In this article, we address this fundamental issue to give basic insight
specifically to the researchers who are working with CNTs as well asgenerally to scientists
who deal with nano-related research domains.